Northern Alberta Birding Hotline

Purple Martins returned to the Edmonton area last weekend with Bob Gehlert reporting one at Lindbrook April 28, Eric Wallace & I saw 2 on the Tofield Golf Course April 29.  Eastern Phoebes have arrived back and also several Say's Phoebe were seen during the Snow Goose Chase last weekend.  Snow Geese last weekend were a very elusive & moving target to try and find for the bus passengers.  All the sites located Friday during the scouting were empty on Sat.  We finally found them again on Rge. Rd 163-164 approx. 1 mile south of Twp 510 (Sec.626) and a few next to the Holden Hutterites on Twp 492.  Both Horned & Eared Grebe along with Ruddy Duck were other highlights.  Swainson's Hawks have been seen in Edmonton, Beaverhill area and also I located one at Wakomao L (Clyde) on Tues. May 3.
   Other recent arrivals are Coomon Loon & Double Crested Cormorant at Cross L.  Ken Hansen located a pair of Black-necked Stilts May 04, on a pond east of Lyseng Reservoir near the Camrose Hutterite Colony on Sec. 833.  This is located aprrox. 10km north of Camrose.  Also on May 04, Gerald Romanchuk reported 2 Greater Scaup & 10 Hudsonian Godwit at Murry Marsh  This is located just northwest of the Hwy37 & 44 junction.  Song, Vesper & Saavannah Sparrows are now being seen around the Beaverhill L. area.
* Note:  The area to the south of Beaverhiill L. has an abundance of water in wetlands & ponds but the lack of waterfowl in these wetlands is still a mystery to the birders whom I spoke with last weekend.  Wakomao L is overflowing with water from the Redwater R. but has the same situation.  There are all kinds of theories as to why this is however no one knows the exact cause.